Claimed ‘top secret’ directives on nuclear deal coverage sent to Iranian media

According to BBC Persian:

The Iranian authorities have ordered the media not to criticise the recent nuclear agreement with world powers, it has emerged.

A top secret document sent to newspaper editors has surfaced on the internet.

Issued by the ministry in charge of the press, the two-page document faxed to media organisations relays directives from Iran's Supreme National Security Council. It says editors should praise the deal and the negotiating team.

COMMENTARY: There is a long history of alleged official documents later determined to be forgeries-- recall the Makhmalbaf-Satrapi “leaked government document" of 2009. This latest claim has yet to be authenticated.

The BBC Persian account as rendered possesses a serious flaw. It seems incredible that “top secret” level documents were sent by fax to media organizations! Perhaps BBC Persian meant "confidential" and not "top secret" level of documents.

It could turn out that a list of guidelines or directives on media presentations regarding the nuclear agreement have been sent, but the evidence requires scrutinizing.

If authentic, this can be taken as a positive indication that SNSC Secretary Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani is indeed tabling JCPOA with its assessment to be provided to Iran's relevant branches of  government, in parallel to current deliberations at U.S. Congress.